PEN International is extremely concerned over the detention of cartoonist Ramón Esono Ebalé, alias Jamon y Queso, who was arrested on 16 September in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. He was initially questioned by security agents in relation to his cartoons that are critical of President Obiang and other government officials. News outlets reported a few days later that he is being investigated for alleged money laundering and counterfeiting money.

He was presented before a judge on 20 September where he was asked about these allegations. He was subsequently sent to Black Beach prison in Malabo where he is being held in preventive detention while further investigations are conducted. He has yet to be charged with an offence.

PEN International believes that Esono Ebalé is being arbitrarily detained in relation to his activism and work, in violation of his right to freedom of expression, and calls on the authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally.

Respect the right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in the Constitution of Equatorial Guinea and as per article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Equatorial Guinea is a state party

CRNI joins Amnesty International and CPJ in urging the immediate release of Ramon Ebalé, known by his pen name Jamon y Queso. He is being held at the Black Beach Prison in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

“It is outrageous that Ramón Nsé Esono Ebalé should be snatched off the streets of Equatorial Guinea and jailed for weeks just because he writes or draws critically about the country’s top public figure,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal. “We call on authorities to release him immediately.”Join the Amnesty International campaign and demand Ebalé’s release by getting in touch with the government of Equatorial Guinea. The pdf of Amnesty’s call to Urgent Action can be accessed here:

This is just one of the long list of harassments and intimidation by the BN governenment. Since 2009, my office in Kuala Lumpur has been raided a few times and thousands of my cartoon books have been confiscated. The printers, vendors, and bookstores around the country which carry my cartoon works were also raided. I was arrested several times and now facing nine charges under The Sedition Act. The government also bans me from traveling abroad since June 2016.

I dont make fantasy cartoons. My cartoons are results from my reaction on current issues, especially on corruption. For instance, the cover of Sapuman is about 1MDB Scandal which involves billions of Ringgit. If there was no IMDB scandal, I would not produce this particular cartoon. Do not blame the cartoonist if politicians steal billions.

The ban comes a month after Prime Minister Najib’s meeting with President Trump in Washington. Surely the Prime Minister has picked up some lesson. If Trump has Islam-O-Phobia, Najib has Cartoon-O-Phobia!

Let’s make it clear — if the government does not like my cartoons (I do not expect they will), I have no problem with it. But you cannot translate your interpretation into law by banning a book of my thoughts. This is against the Federal Constitution which guarantees freedom of expression.

I have discussed with my lawyers and will file the legal challenge soon.

I would like to reiterate that this ban will not stop me from drawing cartoons to expose corruption and injustice. You can ban my books, you can ban my cartoons, but you cannot ban my mind. When the government is faulty, drawing cartoon is a duty.

A student cartoonist who draws for the Daily Mississippian at the University of Mississippi, Oxford (Ole Miss) has received numerous death threats because of his cartoons condemning white supremacy and racial hatred. Beginning long before the events in Charlottesville, Jake Thrasher had been waging a battle through his cartoons against the white supremacy elements that seem to be so active on his and many other college campuses. The battle lines on his campus seem to be drawn around the state flag that still displays the Confederate battle flag as part of its design.

Jake, after a deluge of highly threatening emails, reports that he has felt physically endangered, abandoned and exposed. It would seem there is a conspiracy of indifference towards these kinds of white supremacist assaults which in some cases amount to tacit approval.

He reports that non-student white supremacist groups have easy access to the college campus where they interact with many possibly sympathetic student organizations.

Jake is a chemistry major and has won many awards for his cartooning and his journalism work.He is the staff cartoonist on the Daily Mississippian, the student paper at Ole Miss.

Cartoonists Rights Network International condemns the hate groups that are threatening Mr. Thrasher and we strongly advise that the Chancellor of the University provide protection and support to any students including cartoonist Jake Thrasher who may be receiving death threats from white supremacist organizations or individuals.